DENVER – The Colorado Rockies celebrated their NL championship Friday with a pregame jubilee filled with fireworks, fly-bys and flashbacks, then played nothing like the charmed team that won its first pennant six months ago.

Arizona right-hander Micah Owings (1-0) struck out a career-best nine batters and allowed just one run and two hits over 6 2-3 splendid innings in the Diamondbacks’ 8-1 win over struggling Colorado. Chad Qualls and Juan Cruz completed the two-hitter, and Mark Reynolds homered, doubled and drove in three runs for the Diamondbacks, who watched the Rockies celebrate a sweep of the NL championship series the last time they were in town.

Astros 4, Cubs 3

CHICAGO – J.R. Towles did a handstand after he was hit by a pitch in the second inning, then homered in the fourth.

Miguel Tejada added a go-ahead triple in the eighth inning as the Houston Astros beat the Cubs 4-3 Friday and sent Chicago to its third loss in four games.

Towles’ two-run drive off Rich Hill gave the Astros a 2-0 lead, and that held until Geovany Soto’s tying, two-run single in the seventh.

Houston immediately got two runs in the eighth off Jon Lieber (0-1), thanks to shoddy defense.

Brewers 13, Giants 4

MILWAUKEE – Bill Hall homered twice and had a career-high six RBIs, leading Milwaukee to a 13-4 rout of the San Francisco Giants on Friday in the Brewers’ home opener.

It was the third career two-homer game for Hall, who didn’t hit a home run during spring training.

Prince Fielder went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBIs, and Gabe Kapler drove in a pair of runs. The Brewers have won three of their first four games after taking two out of three from Chicago in their season-opening series at Wrigley Field.

Carlos Villanueva (1-0) tied a career high with six strikeouts, going 5 1-3 innings. He held the Giants scoreless until the sixth, when he gave up two runs and Brian Shouse relieved. Salomon Torres pitched three innings for his first save.

Mets-Braves ppd.

ATLANTA – Rain and the threat of severe storms caused Friday night’s opening game of the Atlanta Braves-New York Mets series to be postponed.

The game was rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader on May 20 at 1:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m.

Marlins 5, Pirates 4

MIAMI – Mike Jacobs homered off reliever Franquelis Osoria leading off the ninth to give the Florida Marlins a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

Jacobs sent Osoria’s 1-1 pitch over the right-field wall. Jacobs went 3-for-5 and scored three runs. Josh Willingham homered and Hanley Ramirez had three hits for Florida.

Kevin Gregg (1-0) pitched one scoreless inning for the win.

Ryan Doumit hit his first home run for Pittsburgh.

Cardinals 5, Nationals 4

ST. LOUIS – Braden Looper gave the lightly-regarded St. Louis Cardinals rotation its fourth straight stingy outing and Rick Ankiel hit a two-run home run in a 5-4 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.

The surprising Cardinals are 3-1, two games above .500 for the first time since the end of the 2006 season, and handed the Nationals their second straight loss after a 3-0 start.